Hi, this is Mike from Baltimore

Bought a couple copies of Primal Blueprint a few months ago on a promotion. Was mostly convinced before reading the book just from reading articles about the primal lifestyle posted on lewrockwell.com from time to time.

I'm a 44 year old, fit triathlete and bicycle racer, currently recovering from a hamstring tendon injury. I never truly considered the consequences of a high carb, gluten loaded diet.

About 4 weeks ago I started living Primal. Been limiting my carb intake to about 150 grams or less/day. I have since been eating a giant salad for lunch every day w/ a salmon/avocado roll instead of a giant, major carb filled lunch of some sort. For the past 20 years I have been taking a little nap shortly after lunch, and damned if I no longer need it! Truly, I no longer need it. I also seem to need less sleep at night. I have been going to bed around the same time, but waking up an hour or so earlier, and I'm an early riser anyway. I haven't had a single migraine in a month, a modern day record for me. Oh, and I lost 5 pounds, I'm now 140lbs at 5'5" tall. The best part, I have not been excessively hungry like I almost always have been for most of my life.

HOWEVER, about 5 years ago I had a bout of irritable bowel syndrome (it runs in my family). Symptoms were severe, strange cramping in the lower left abdomen. The kind of strange that makes you go "oh, that doesn't feel right at all" and scares ya. It disappeared after about 6 months of it's first occurrence. Well, guess what came back with a vengeance a week into my new primal lifestyle? Was pretty bad for about 2 weeks but it seems to be going away again. Haven't felt it at all in a couple of days. I'm sure it is related to the dramatic change in my diet. Occasionally when I sit down to my desk in the morning I can't seem to think correctly, a banana or an orange seem to fix that. Maybe I need a little more carbs upon waking?

Other than that, I love it! Losing weight without trying, few mood swings, no major hunger pangs, don't need as much sleep, and I can go much longer in between meals without being hungry. I do REALLY miss eating an entire honeydew, canteloupe, or watermelon in one sitting, however. And of course I miss eating a whole bag of potato chips at one sitting terribly, but I'll adjust.

Not exactly sure how I'll cope when I start training again, but that issue has been addressed here quite frequently it seems, so I know I'll find answers and help.

Hi Mike! I'm in Maryland too. That salad lunch sounds great and similar to what my hubby and I have been doing.

IBS -- I have IBS and I keep hearing great stories about primal diet fixing it, so it's interesting that you're experiencing this. Perhaps more gas / just the different digestive feeling of all these veggies? Glad to hear it's passing now though... so to speak.

I can't speak to whether primal eating is helping me personally with IBS yet since I'm not 100% yet and I'm pregnant (which supposedly dooms me to bowelmageddon...) Just saying I'm sympathetic on the IBS front!